The once-impossible black holes that could break thermodynamicsTue, 04 Aug 2026 17:00:00 +0000 The laws of physics seemed to forbid a strange variety of black holes that could have zero temperature. Columnist Jacklin Kwan explores research that shows these strange behemoths can really exist – and how they could test the limits of thermodynamics | |
Darwin proved right about gnat-trapping carnivorous plantTue, 04 Aug 2026 15:00:00 +0000 Botanists have finally proved what Charles Darwin was unable to nail down – that a genus of plants known to catch insects also digests them, suggesting the extent of plant carnivory has been underestimated | |
We’re beginning to understand the sudden ‘grief attacks’ that hit mournersTue, 04 Aug 2026 15:00:00 +0000 A few years ago, psychologist Sherman Lee experienced a "grief attack". When he set out to study them, he discovered just how powerful and all-consuming grief can be | |
The best new popular science books of August 2026Tue, 04 Aug 2026 14:00:00 +0000 From which diets work best to the ethics of octopus farming, here’s Liz Else’s round-up of the most interesting popular science books published this month | |
Canadian wildfires are reducing solar power generation in EuropeTue, 04 Aug 2026 10:01:37 +0000 Lost solar power due to smoke blocking the sun cost Europe and North America nearly $2 billion in 2023 alone | |
Parts of the UK endure first ever month without any rainTue, 04 Aug 2026 08:47:42 +0000 For the first time since records began, there was no rain at all for parts of southern England and Wales in July, in a “truly exceptional” month of heat and sunshine | |
Why winner of biggest prize in maths has decided to work on AI insteadMon, 03 Aug 2026 17:00:00 +0000 Jacob Tsimerman won a Fields medal last month – now he is leaving mathematics to work on AI safety | |
OpenAI announces solutions to 10 longstanding maths problemsMon, 03 Aug 2026 16:16:03 +0000 Ten conundrums that stumped human mathematicians for years have been cracked by OpenAI's Astra model, continuing a hot streak of AI-driven breakthroughs that are shaking up the field | |
Will a new kind of AI that understands physical reality change the world again?Mon, 03 Aug 2026 15:00:00 +0000 AI chatbots can describe reality in words, but don’t truly understand cause and effect in the real world. Now, a fresh kind of machine intelligence that does just that is emerging | |
Why sitting under a parasol is barely cooler than being in the sunMon, 03 Aug 2026 14:46:01 +0000 A beach umbrella might protect you from sunburn, but when it comes to keeping you cool, it makes surprisingly little difference | |